Sitharaman Tells Rahul Gandhi to Take EVM, SIR Debate to Parliament

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to bring his questions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to Parliament rather than social media. Her message, posted on X, answered Gandhi's repeated calls for an open debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sitharaman argued that a venue already exists, since Gandhi sits in Parliament as Leader of Opposition. She noted that Home Minister Amit Shah had offered a special session on SIR and EVMs a day earlier, and asked why Gandhi did not show the same enthusiasm for that as for online challenges.

She also said that seeking answers means listening to them. In her telling, Gandhi and his party have on several occasions walked out while the government was replying to their allegations. She further accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc of disruptions that cost entire sittings, and described a recent mock Parliament at the Congress President's residence as a "mockery of Parliament".

On the substance, she urged Gandhi to put forward specific, evidence-backed claims rather than lists of accusations. Invoking his "Daro mat" slogan, she asked him to present facts, face scrutiny and stay in the House for the government's replies.

The exchange followed Gandhi's push the same day for a Modi debate. He launched an X poll asking young Indians if they wanted to see the two leaders meet face to face, and tagged BJP figures including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Yogi Adityanath, asking them to persuade the Prime Minister. The poll's options were "Yes - Modi Ji, Daro Mat" and "No - Modi Ji, Dar Gaye".

Why it matters: the dispute is as much about where political arguments are held as what they are about. With electoral roll revisions and voting machines central to the opposition's complaints, the standoff over a floor debate versus a public face-off will shape how the issue plays out, and whether it reaches the formal record of the House.

Source: Asianet Newsable

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